Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-17
THE PRIEST, ST. PATRICK.
IrelaBd's Patron saint who IL Hon
ered Today--His Public Services
The Wearing OF the Green-Locai
Ahsarraaces

ored Today--His Public Services
The Wearing Of the Green-Loeai
Observances.
This is ST. Patrick's day. fact that is
shown by the wearing of the green by
all true Irishmen. and tonight ST Pat
rick's Benevolent society will celebrate
the occasion by grand ball There are
many beautiful and useful lessons in the
public and pries,ly life of St Patrick as
it has come down through history and
tradition. The birthplace of ST Patrick
is matter of doubt and has been the
subject of much discussion. seven places
having laid cl lin to the honor. From
Patrick's own Confessions" it is learned
that his father was Calpuruius. deacon.
his grandfather Potitus, priest; celibacy
of the clergy did not exist in that day
His mother was & ,nchesss, some relative
OF st Martin of Tours As for the year
of his birth. it is vario Isly placed al 35l,
372 and 3S7 His name, Patrick, or Pa
trlciu., is no uncommon one in hsgiogra
ply, having been borne by martyrs in
Lyons, Auvergne, Asia Minor, Scythia,
childhood, miracles being credited to him.
ST. Patrick was purchased as a slave and
served seven years as swine-herder amid
much hardship, in the north of ireland.
For four years he lived in the celebrated
monastery of ST. Martin, of Tours. He
went next to the island of Lerius, and it
is agreed that he arrived in Ireland in
432 ST Pat1ck became involved in +
contest with King Lseghaire, and the
latter Was converted il is related that
druid attempted to poison the saint aud
handed him vessel Of poisoned ale
The saint did not refuse the liquor, but
blessed 1t, So thai the poison fell from il
and the ale concealed like ice.
Work ny miracles all the way. the
apostle proceeded to Connaught. widths
er mysteriou@ voices had called him. and
remained there seven years Every
where he built churches, ordained priests
aud consecrated nups. Another seveB
years he spent in the province of Muu-
ster In ASS Patrick established the
cathedral of Armagh Ascending the
hill, the saint and dis companions found
deer with her little fawn. lying where
Was afterwards an 4ltsr of the church
His associates would have slain the fawn,
but he forbade and carried it on biz
shoulders, the deer folio wing him like a
pet lamb, until be let the lawn down in
another wood north of armagh. 1t would
appear after this he again visited Rome,
and some of his biogrsphers would have
il that an angel carried him through the
came. He desired to die and be burned
at Armagh but was warned by heaven to
SO w cduls hhi iHcitr OH "cuucSudf.
March II, 465. in the seventy eighth
year of his age, after being nearly
thirty three years engaged on the mis-
sion to Ireland, and teh years archbishop
of Armagh, he expired.
For twelve days all the clergy of Ire,
land who could be assembled watched
around him, with hymns and psalms
Canticles. p" Music of angels was heard
and heavenly light seen. But the human
came in the shape of genuine Irish con-
test for the holy remains. The Hy-Nia
of o. Neills wanted to carry them tt
Armagh, the people of the Orion to bury
then at Down. Two oxen were yoket
to chariot by the clergy and sent fortf
to go whittier they would. They rested
at Down, Cd the spot now occupied b.
the cathedral, and there the saint wa,
buried. But the by Nail met the other.
at the Strait of Drumboe and there Wa
blood shed, but the waves rose and sep
arated the combatan's. Then eacl
party saw bier drawn by oxen, fol
lowed it, and finally lost sight of it.